Darryl “Tyree” Williams was sitting in his car when six Raleigh, North Carolina, police officers approached him. Two hours and several tasings later, Williams was dead, and the officers were placed on administrative leave. This just days after the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols by police in Memphis, Tennessee.
According to CNN, officers were conducting “proactive patrols” in the area where Williams and a passenger were parked on Jan. 17 at 1:55 AM.
Officers J.T. Thomas and C.D. Robinson were seen in body camera footage opening the passenger door of William’s car when Robinson claimed to see an open container of alcohol and marijuana.
The officers asked Williams, 32, and the passenger to exit the car and conducted a body search. “What’s going on?” Williams is heard asking several times.
RELATED STORY: How many more Black Americans have to die before the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act passes?
Robinson treated Williams, yelling, “Listen to my instructions,” or be placed in handcuffs. Robinson still had not told Williams why he was being searched.
Then the video shows Robinson pulling a folded dollar bill out of Williams’ pocket and indicating he’d found a white powdery substance on the bill. He then decided to arrest Wiliams.
A scuffle ensued as Robinson and another officer attempted to put Williams in handcuffs, yelling at him to “get on the ground.” Williams tries to flee, at which point Robinson deploys his Taser. The Taser is used twice more but fails to connect with Williams.
Then another officer tells Williams to “get on the fucking ground” while several officers put their weight on him to prevent him from moving. Then Robinson and Thomas both deploy their Tasers and connect with Williams, holding on to his body for 50 seconds.
Not long after, Williams can be heard telling the cops he has “heart problems” while he’s still being held on the ground. Williams can be heard moaning, according to Newsweek.
Campaign Action
At 2:02 AM, police call for an ambulance. Williams appears to be unresponsive. Officers are then heard asking if Williams is “still good” and if he’s “still breathing.” CNN reports an officer is heard confirming that Williams is “breathing” and “he’s good.”
Officers remove the Taser probes and figure out that Williams is not breathing, and begin administering CPR. Another call is made for an ambulance.
According to the police (the video ends before the ambulance arrives), EMS arrives and takes over performing CPR.
Williams was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:01 AM, just two hours after a routine police stop.
Officers recovered two firearms, marijuana, and a suspected controlled substance in Williams’ car.
Officers Robinson, Thomas, D.L. Aquino, J.R. Scott, D.L. Grande, and B.L. Ramge have been placed on administrative leave.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is conducting an investigation into Williams’ death.
Warning: This video contains violent and graphic content.